Russian Military Exercises Send A Message To NATO

A Russian Viktor III-class submarine. Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Defense.

Newsweek: Russian Navy Carries Out Mock Attack on Nuclear Submarine

Russian naval units launched an air-and-sea practice offensive on a nuclear submarine today in the Barents Sea, which Russia shares with Norway. The drill is part of Russia’s massive snap military drills which are due to continue until 21 March.

The ‘strike and search group’, as the Russian Ministry of Defence referred to it, from the navy’s Northern Fleet comprised of Tu-142 ‘Bear’ naval aviation reconnaissance bombers and Il-38 ‘Dolphin’ maritime patrol jets as well as two small anti-submarine ships and support vessels.

The practice attack on one of the Northern Fleet’s nuclear submarine units, designated as a target for the benefit of the exercise, went ahead today and according to the Russian Ministry of Defence the drill was successful, Russian state news service Tass reports.

More News On Russia's Military Exercises

Russia Conducts Naval Drill in Baltic Sea -- Marine Link
Russia's Northern Fleet on full alert -- UPI
Russia Targets NATO With Military Exercises -- Forbes
 Russia Says Drills Prove Ability to Quickly Deploy Forces -- NYT/AP
Russian military exercises ‘logical response’ to NATO troops on its border -- RT
Russia Expands Military Exercises To 80,000 Troops -- Defense News/AFP

Britain Scrambles Typhoon Fighter Jets To Intercept 'Multiple' Russian Planes (Photo Gallery)

RAF Typhoon fighters (below) scrambled to intercept 'multiple Russian aircraft', including this Russian SU-27 Flanker (top), detected in Baltic airspace

MoD Scrambles Typhoon Fighter Jets After 'Multiple' Russian Planes Spotted In Baltic Airspace -- Daily Mail

* Aircraft from 3 (Fighter) Squadron took to the skies after four groups of Russian aircraft were detected by Nato
* Russian planes identified as a Russian Tupolec Tu22 Backfire bomber, four Sukoi Su27 and one Beriev A50 Mainstay
* An Antonov An26 Curl transport aircraft was also detected flying in Baltic airspace yesterday
* MoD said crafts, which were carrying out 'a variety of routine training', were monitored and escorted on their way
* Comes as Ukrainian president announced a plan to cease fighting in eastern Ukraine after months of unrest

RAF Typhoon fighters were scrambled to intercept 'multiple Russian aircraft' as part of the Nato mission to police the airspace over the Baltics, the Ministry of Defence said yesterday.

The aircraft from 3 (Fighter) Squadron were ordered into the skies after four separate groups of aircraft were detected by Nato air defences in international airspace near to the Baltic states.

The aircraft were subsequently identified as a Russian Tupolev Tu22 Backfire bomber, four Sukhoi Su27 Flanker fighters, one Beriev A50 Mainstay early-warning aircraft and an Antonov An26 Curl transport aircraft.

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More News On Britain Scrambling Typhoon Fighter Jets To Intercept 'Multiple' Russian Planes

UK scrambles jets to intercept Russian planes in intl airspace over Baltic -- RT
NATO jets scrambled for ‘zombie’ aircraft over Baltics; Russians chased off — again -- Washington Times
RAF Fighter Jets Sent To Head Off Russia Planes -- SKY News
UK says scrambled jets to see off Russian planes near Baltics -- Reuters
Britain scrambles jets to see off Russian planes near Baltics -- Sydney Morning Herald
Russian Aircraft Intercepted By Four RAF Typhoons As Part Of Nato Policing Of Baltic Airspace -- Huffington Post
Photos of NATO fighters intercepting fully armed Russian jets -- Gizmodo

My Comment: The Russian SU-27s have a full complement of missiles.

Russia To Permit Non-Military NATO SuppliesTo Afghanistan

Russia to Allow Only Non-Military NATO Supplies to Afghanistan -- Bloomberg Businessweek

Russia will allow the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to transport only non-military supplies via a Russian airbase to Afghanistan, the Foreign Ministry said.

NATO won’t be permitted to station any personnel at the airbase, the Moscow-based ministry said on its website today.

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More News On Russia Allowing NATO To Use An Airbase In Russia For Afghan Transport

Rogozin Slams Ulyanovsk 'NATO Base' Speculation -- RIA Novosti
Rumors about NATO base in Ulyanovsk ‘provocation’ - Rogozin -- Voice of Russia
Russian Foreign Ministry says no NATO base in Ulyanovsk -- Voice of Russia
NATO Flight Plan Awakens Russians' Ire -- Moscow Times
Rumors about NATO base in Russia - a provocation -- RT

Russia Is On A Buying Spree For High Tech Weapons From The West

Russia plans to buy several French Mistral-class amphibious helicopter carriers, like the Tonnerre, seen here // Marine Nationale

Russia May Buy $12 Billion of Arms From NATO Members -- Bloomberg Businessweek

June 11 (Bloomberg) -- Russia may buy $12 billion of arms from European and Israeli companies, including DCNS and Iveco SpA, over the next five years as the world’s second-biggest arms exporter hunts for higher-quality weapons than domestic companies can provide, according to a Moscow research institute.

“Russia has been an exception on military procurement, because no other country in the last 15 years tried to be 100 percent autonomous,” said center Director Ruslan Pukhov. “Now we have recognized that you can’t be competitive in all areas.”

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My Comment: With natural gas and oil sales bringing in tens of billions in dollars and euros every year, Russia has the resources and means to purchase such systems. The question that needs to be answered is .... do we want to sell to them? Considering how high unemployment and budget deficits are .... I would be shocked if we decide to not fulfill these orders.

The Slow Emergence Of A Joint NATO - Russia Missile Shield

NATO And Russia Edge Warily Toward A Joint Missile Defense Shield -- Deutsche Welle

NATO Secretary General Anders Rasmussen has appealed for a joint missile defense shield with Russia to cover Europe and offer protection from a possible terror attack. But analysts are still cautious about its prospects.

At a press conference on Monday, NATO Secretary General Anders Rasmussen spoke about what he believed was the most serious security threat faced by Europe. "There is a growing missile threat, including from Iran," he said. "And the politicians have a responsibility to protect the population." Europe must "take its share in the joint protection from missile attacks."

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More News On Missile Defense in Europe

Russia must have role in Europe-based missile defence system, says Nato chief -- The Guardian
NATO wants to consult Russia on missile defense -- Voice of Russia
NATO Head to Call For Russian Role in Missile Shield -- Global Security Newswire
Nato to invite Russia to join in building defence 'roof' for Europe -- The Telegraph
ROAR: NATO’s plan to create “roof” over Europe together with Russia “unclear” -- RT
What the Russian papers say -- RIA Novosti

Russia Still Regards NATO As A Serious Threat

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (left) meets with NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen in Moscow in December. Photo from Radio Free Europe

Russian Security Chief Says NATO Still Serious Threat To Moscow -- RIA Novosti

NATO continues to pose a serious threat to Russia, not least because of its desire to expand closer to Russia's borders, Russian security chief Nikolai Patrushev said on Tuesday.

"We have grave doubts [that Russia will be more secure due to NATO expansion]," the Russian Security Council secretary said at a news conference in RIA Novosti. "NATO represents a rather serious threat to us."

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More News On Russian Concerns Over NATO

NATO remains 'serious' threat to Russia: official -- AFP
Reports: Russian security chief says NATO poses threat -- Canadian Press/AP
Nikolai Patrushev: “NATO expansion poses a serious threat to Russia” -- APA
NATO Chief 'Surprised' By Russia's Listing Alliance As Threat -- Radio Free Europe
NATO: Russia need not fear expansion -- Huffington Post
Russia calls for integrated security structure for Europe to "overcome" NATO -- Xinhuanet
Russia, NATO reaffirm plans to boost ties -- RIA Novosti
Russia, NATO wrangle over military doctrine -- Deutsche Welle
Russia ready for dialogues with NATO on doctrine -- Xinhuanet
NATO Eyes Closer Ties With Russia -- Moscow Times
The 'Reset' At One Year: The View From Moscow -- Radio Free Europe

Is NATO A Threat To Russia?

Russia Names NATO Expansion As National Threat -- Reuters

MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Dmitry Medvedev approved Friday a new military doctrine identifying NATO expansion as a national threat and reaffirming Russia's right to use nuclear weapons if the country's existence is threatened.

The doctrine identifies the expansion of NATO to Eastern Europe and U.S. plans to create an anti-missile shield in Europe as concerns for national security, although it also states that the likelihood of a nuclear conflict has abated.

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Update: Russian doctrine does not reflect real world: NATO -- Reuters

My Comment: No one Russia believes that NATO is going to attack and crush Russia, and no one in NATO believes in the possibility that Russia will do the same. But both sides are not on friendly terms, and there is a perception in Russia that NATO is exploiting anti-Russian feelings in Eastern Europe.

I expect this frosty relationship to continue for a while longer, and I also expect that with missile defense installations being installed in places like Romania .... this will only heighten this tension and distrust.

Russia Hails Closer Ties With NATO

Russia Hails Military Cooperation With NATO -- RIA Novsoti

Russia's foreign minister called on Friday military cooperation with NATO "mutually beneficial."

"Good opportunities are opening up to promote interaction with NATO in the military and technological sphere, first of all regarding the modernization of Mi helicopters. Such cooperation is mutually beneficial," Sergei Lavrov told journalists after a meeting of the Russia-NATO Council in Brussels.

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More News On Russia - NATO Ties

NATO, Russia Paper Over Differences -- Radio Free Europe
Russia, NATO To Launch Joint Study Of 21st-century Security Threats -- RTT News
Russia, NATO Holding First Formal Ministerial Meeting Since Georgia War -- Radio Free Europe

My Comment: Closer ties .... for now.

NATO And Russia Expected To Resume Military Ties -- Yahoo News/AP

CORFU, Greece – NATO and Russia are set to resume military ties Saturday and agree to cooperate on Afghanistan, counterterrorism and anti-piracy patrols at their first high-level meeting since last year's war between Russia and Georgia, Western officials said.

Relations between the alliance and the Russian military were frozen in the aftermath of the five-day war last August. Although political ties have thawed considerably over the past five months, there have been no formal military contacts since then.

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More News On NATO - Russian Cooperation

NATO, Russia reach agreement -- USA Today
NATO counts on resumed military cooperation with Russia -- RIA Novosti
Russia Meets Resistance to Plea for European Security Revamp -- Bloomberg
NATO hopes for resumption of military-to-military contacts with Russia -- China View

NATO Renews Russia Ties

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton(C) speaks with NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer during the Foreign Affairs Minister meeting at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels. The US endorsed a resumption of top-level NATO talks with Russia, setting the stage for an end to a seven-month freeze sparked by Moscow's war on Georgia. (AFP/John Thys)

From Yahoo News/Reuters:

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – NATO agreed on Thursday to resume formal ties with Russia, suspended after Moscow's war with Georgia, in the hope of winning greater Russian support for its struggle to stabilize Afghanistan.

"We can and must find ways to work constructively with Russia where we share areas of common interest, including helping the people of Afghanistan," U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said.

Russia immediately welcomed the move agreed at a meeting of NATO foreign ministers.

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My Comment: The message is clear .... all is now forgiven.

NATO Ministers Agree to New Russia Talks

From The Wall Street Journal:

BRUSSELS, Belgium -- NATO foreign ministers agreed to gradually resume talks with Russia that were frozen after Moscow's August invasion of Georgia.

NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said the NATO-Russia Council will meet on an informal basis to explore areas of agreement and disagreement. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the talks with Russia would start at a low level, adding that "this is not business as usual."

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